Board of Supervisors Confirms Participation in Phase Two of Dulles Rail Project

April 10, 2012

Highlights

Estimated cost for building the second phase of Dulles Rail is $2.7
billion—$1 billion less than earlier estimates.

80 percent of the county's total cost for the project will be paid for
through voluntary, special tax districts.

Fairfax will make its best efforts to find money outside of the project
to pay for the Route 28 Station and the parking garage at this station
and Herndon Monroe. But the county will only pay for 16.1 percent of
the cost of these facilities if outside funds can't be found.

“The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors reaffirmed our commitment to
Phase 2 of the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project today,” Chairman Sharon Bulova
said. “It is my hope that Phase 2 will move forward as planned, and we
will all be able to take advantage of the enormous economic development
opportunities the Silver Line extension will present.”

Prior to today’s board action, the county sought public input on the
cost and financing for the project’s second phase. County officials
conducted four public meetings and an
online chat, and the board held a
public hearing on March 20.

It will take an estimated $2.7 billion to build the project’s second
phase based on the preliminary engineering
cost estimate released by the Metropolitan Washington Airports
Authority on March 6. This estimate is $1 billion less than earlier
figures. Savings were achieved by eliminating the underground
station at Dulles Airport, value engineering reductions, and project
scope changes agreed to by all the funding partners.

As part of the
financial deal, Fairfax County agreed to make its best efforts to pay
for building the Route 28 Station, along with the parking garage at this
station and at Herndon Monroe, outside of the project. The county is
looking at several options that include using a public-private
partnership, developer contributions, parking revenue, and/or federal or
state grants. If the county is not successful in funding the two
garages and station outside of the project, Fairfax will only pay for
16.1 percent of the cost for these facilities.

The county’s share for the entire Dulles Rail project is estimated to be
$900 to $965 million. Of this amount, $730 million—or approximately 80
percent—will be paid for by voluntary, special tax districts created by
landowners.

In the Phase 1 Tax District, landowners agreed to pay up to 29 cents per
$100 of the assessed value of commercial and industrial properties, up to
a total of $400 million. Phase 2 District property owners agreed to pay
up to 25 cents per $100, up to a total of $330 million.

The rail project’s second phase includes six stations along its 11.4
mile run, stretching from Wiehle Avenue in Fairfax County to Route 772 in
Loudoun County. Construction is expected to begin in early 2013, and the
project is estimated to be completed in 2017.The first phase of the
project is currently under construction, and it expected to be completed
in late 2013.